Cambodian Provinces Keep Water Festival Alive Despite Phnom Penh Cancellation
PHNOM PENH — From boat races along rivers to concerts, local product fairs and a 10-kilometer run, provinces across Cambodia are preparing to celebrate the Water Festival despite the cancellation of the national festivities in Phnom Penh for a second year.
The government decided against holding the capital’s main celebration amid the ongoing border situation, saying resources and attention should instead go toward civilians affected by the conflict and people still displaced from their homes. Prime Minister Hun Manet has left it to provincial governors to organize local celebrations within their means.
In the eastern province of Mondulkiri, festivities will run from November 13 to 15 at Senmonorom Reservoir. Surrounded by hills and forests, the province is preparing to welcome domestic and international visitors for three days of celebration.
Siem Reap is also preparing to bring its riverside to life. Events along the Siem Reap River will run from November 20 to 25, with boat races scheduled for November 23 and 24.
The provincial administration is installing lights and decorations, including displays themed around the boat races, while preparing additional activities to mark the traditional festival.
Siem Reap Governor Prak Sophoan has instructed officials to arrange designated spaces for street vendors selling food and other goods along the river, including those operating from mobile stalls.
Officials will also monitor food quality and sanitation to reduce health risks for visitors during the busy celebrations, the provincial administration said on October 22.
Further south, Kampong Thom and Pursat provinces will hold their celebrations on November 7 and 8.
Kampong Thom will stage boat races along the Stung Sen River, while Pursat will host races on the Pursat River in the provincial capital. Both provinces will offer evening entertainment, including concerts and exhibitions of locally made products, following the afternoon races.
Kampong Speu will organize its boat races on November 24. The provincial administration and Department of Culture and Fine Arts are preparing performances and other activities for the public.
Police will be deployed around event venues to maintain public order, manage traffic and help ensure visitors’ safety, officials said.
Takeo province will celebrate earlier than most, with festivities scheduled for October 31 and November 1. One of the main activities will be a 10-kilometer run on November 1 in Doun Keo city, giving visitors another way to take part in the celebrations.
Nearby Kampot, a popular coastal destination, will host three days of boat races along the Kampot River from November 23 to 25.
Svay Rieng province, in the southeast, will stage one of the longest celebrations, running from November 7 to 12, with boat races scheduled for November 8 to 11.
Alongside traditional longboat races, the province will organize competitions featuring canoes, kayaks and rowing boats. Exhibitions of Cambodian-made products and foreign goods will complement the afternoon races, while concerts and other entertainment will take place at night.
The Water Festival, known in Khmer as Bon Om Touk, is one of Cambodia’s biggest annual celebrations. Traditionally held at the end of the rainy season, it draws large crowds to Phnom Penh to watch longboat races along the Tonle Sap River and mark the seasonal reversal of the Tonle Sap’s flow.
The capital’s festivities have been cancelled for the second consecutive year as the country grapples with the effects of the border conflict, including the displacement of civilians and the return of Cambodian migrant workers from Thailand.
The festival has faced interruptions before. Celebrations were suspended in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and in 2022 while Cambodia hosted the ASEAN summits. Flooding in 2011 and 2013, the death of King Norodom Sihanouk in 2012 and low water levels in 2015 also led to cancellations.
Source: Cambodianess
